Opel/Vauxhall News: Rumorpile: Opel Ampera To Disappear In 2016

[William Maley]

While the Chevrolet Volt has been doing ok in sales chart (ranging from 1,478 to 1,777 units since March), the same cannot be said for the Opel Ampera. When it launched in 2012 and took home the European Car Of The Year award, the model sold 5,200 units. But since then, the Ampera has been sinking like a rock. In 2013, dealers only moved 3,184 units, a massive drop of 40 percent. 2014 only looks to be worse as Opel has only sold 332 units through the end of May.

Automotive News Europe reports that Opel will drop the Ampera once the next-generation Chevrolet Volt is launched, which is expected to happen in late 2015.

An Opel spokesman declined to comment on this story when asked.

Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription Required)

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

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[G. David Felt]

Very sad as they clearly are not marketing it properly and have not put together a better solution that the public will buy. While I think the look of the Opel is ugly, the technology needs to get into CUV's and other auto's. Makes one wonder if Opel is doing to the Ampera what GM did with Pontiac, Olds and Saturn with piss poor marketing and the wrong package combination.

[ocnblu]

That's fine.  No great shakes.  So the traditionally frugal Europeans don't care for the Ampera, what're ya gonna do?

[A Horse With No Name]

Opel is a hot disorganized mess. The problem is not the car, it is the lack of organization on the part of Opel.

[Guest potluck]

no places to plug it in there?

[Drew Dowdell]

Sad, it is the best looking variant this side of the ELR.

[ocnblu]

kleenex?   

[Drew Dowdell]

Yes... because it was an interesting front clip design that is not at all the homogenious trapazoid we get on every single car these days.

[ocnblu]

That much is true.

[G. David Felt]

Not sure which I like more, I have to lean towards the VOLT as the Ampera just does not look good to me with that funky nose.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

see, I like that nose.

 

The Holden logo on the nose of the Chevy Volt just looks awkward.

 

[G. David Felt]

Agreed, that Holden re-badge job is terrible.

[§carlet §wordfish]

Whatever happened to the Flextreme?

[A Horse With No Name]

Glad to see the volt selling. Where are the arch idiot twats like Cspec who said the car was vaporware and would never be produced?

[Robert Hall]

Volts are interesting..a.coworker of mine has had his for a year, still loves it and is a vocal cheerleader for it on volt forums online.  The biggest negatives I see about the car is the cramped interior and poor outward visibility.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Drew Dowdell]

They are a fantastic drive.  A recent Uber driver picked me up in one. Made it from my house to the airport entirely in EV mode... 27 miles.